


nothing can come between (you and I)

by juliansweigl



Category: Men's Football RPF
Genre: M/M, This entire thing is just fluff, actually I am, seriously, this might be the cheesiest thing i've ever written in my entire life and i'm not even sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-10-01 16:22:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17247470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/juliansweigl/pseuds/juliansweigl
Summary: “How did you know I’d gone?” Mats inquires, barely glancing up as Bene saunters into the kitchen and jumps up on his kitchen counter, thigh pressing against Mats’ arm.“I couldn’t hear any obnoxious comments.” Bene shrugsor,the five times that Mats and Benni were each other’s New Year's kiss and the one time that they weren’t.





	nothing can come between (you and I)

**Author's Note:**

> okay, so i am currently posting this whilst I'm on my break in work (so, actually, I'm amazed I'm actually posting it whilst it's still New Year's Eve) but I just want to wish you all a happy and healthy 2019 and hope the year is SO kind to you - and thank you for reading my dumb fics :')

**One,**

 

The first time, like most things, it happens when they’re drunk.

 

Mats will insist he was thinking clearly that night, as the minutes ticked down and 2009 came to an end, that he _definitely_ would’ve done this if he was sober and not on his seventh beer. The current beer in his hand is warm, having held it in his hand far too long, the warmth from his hand and the stuffy room he’s crammed into having warmed his beer up to the point where it’s practically undrinkable.

 

Bene is across the room, smiling, laughing, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he talks.

 

Something twists in Mats’ stomach, something familiar yet so unfamiliar at the same time. For a split second, the horror must show on his face because Bene catches his eyes and trails off on whatever story he was telling, watching Mats with an unreadable expression. Mats tries to shake it off, dropping his gaze to the floor before taking another drag of the beer, grumbling and pulling a face at the lukewarm beer slowly making its way down his throat.

 

“If it tastes _that_ bad just put it down.”

 

Mats shoots upright, some of the beer spilling from the bottle and over the floor, eyes wide as Bene smiles at him. The corners of Mats’ lips tug downward into a frown as he places the bottle aside.

 

“Did I really look that pitiful that you had to leave your conversation to check up on me?” Mats asks and it takes him a second to register the bitter undertone to his voice.

 

Mats regrets opening his mouth precisely three seconds after he’s asked the question, half-expecting Bene to scoff and mutter something before leaving him alone – but this is Bene and Bene doesn’t do that.

 

“I’ve been looking for an excuse to get away from them for nearly an hour. You just had the _right_ amount of pathetic-ness about yourself that I could use as an excuse.” Bene answers without missing a beat, the casual-ness about his tone just slides off his shoulders with ease – _and is that a hint of a smirk_?

 

Mats can’t bite back his small bout of laughter. “ _You’re welcome_?”

 

Somewhere across the room, someone screams, followed by a loud crash before a roar of laughter from somewhere else.

 

“Typical.” Bene scoffs. “It wouldn’t be a celebration without someone falling off a table.” Bene’s line of sight doesn’t once leave Mats causing Mats to mumble out a feeble shut up as he tries to hide the way the tips of his ears are turning red.

 

 “In my defence-” Mats holds his hands up. “- That table was unsteady and Manu barged into it as he walked past.”

 

“I agree. _That_ table was unsteady and it definitely wasn’t because you were so drunk you didn’t even remember your own name at that point and yelled out _hey Benni watch this_. No, it was definitely the table and Manu’s fault.” Bene draws out in an undisguised sarcastic tone, his gaze lingering on Mats for a second too long to be considered platonic.

 

“You didn’t even watch me!” Mats cries out, throwing his arms up. “You can’t say shit, Höwedes.”

 

Bene is just about to reply, probably with something just as sarcastic and biting when a rough, slur of _three minutes until midnight dickheads_ makes its way through the house followed by a frantic _someone kiss me_.

 

“So…” Bene trails off with a small smirk, digging his hands into the pockets of his jeans as he bounces from foot to foot. “Who are _you_ kissing at midnight?”

 

Mats pretends not to notice the way Bene’s smirk doesn’t reach his eyes and tone of uncertainty to his voice. Mats tries to ignore the heavy feeling in the pit of his stomach and the voice in the back of his head telling him to say Bene’s name.

 

Another voice screams out _two minutes idiots_.

 

“I don’t know. You offering?” Mats asks amusedly.

 

His gaze flickers around the house before settling on Bene, watching the way the slightest of movements cause the light to bounce off his freckles.

 

“In your dreams, Hummels.” Bene snorts.

 

“ _Already done that_.” Mats mutters inaudibly. “Why?” Mats smirks, leaning forward so that his lips are dangerously close to Bene’s ear. “Worried you might fall in love with me?”

 

Bene shoves Mats away with a grin, fingers grabbing hold of Mats’ shirt. “You wish.”

 

_One minute. One fucking minute guys! It’s happening!_

 

Mats rolls his eyes and is just about to comment on the ridiculous reasoning that comes from people _needing_ to kiss each other at midnight when he feels a hand wrapping around his wrist and pulling him through the house, through people and up the stairs. Mats knows it’s Bene, he feels his head pulsating from the amount of alcohol mixed with terrible techno music that’s been playing for the last four hours, he feels his pulse racing from the way Bene’s fingertips have closed around Mats’ wrist.

 

Mats vaguely catches someone shouting _thirty seconds_ before he’s being pushed against the wall in-between two bedrooms and Bene standing in front of him, hands on either side of Mats’ head.

 

A thousand things seem to flash through Bene’s eyes as he stands in front of Mats, unmoved, his hands pressed against the wall, he doesn’t glance at Mats once though. Mats is sure that the entirety of fucking Germany can hear the way his heart is beating out of his chest.

 

The ten second countdown starts, the numbers are slurred, counted too fast, fireworks are being set off outside but Mats hears the one, he just manages to hear it before there’s a hand on the back of his neck and Bene is glancing at him with a somewhat nervous glint in his eyes. Mats leans forward as does Bene and they share quite possibly the _best_ kiss of Mats’ entire life.

 

Mats’ hands fly to Bene’s face, palms pressed against his cheeks.

 

The kiss is over just as it starts, Bene moving back with his cheeks flushed pink as he drops his hand from Mats’ neck and stares at him with a small smile twitching at the corners of his lips. Mats is breathless, breathing shakily as his arms slowly fall back to his sides. He stares at Bene, head tilted to the side as he sucks his bottom lip between his teeth.

 

“Happy New Year, Mats.”

 

Without thinking it through, Mats kisses him again.

 

 

**Two,**

 

Bene’s kitchen is the only place that isn’t overly crowded and for that solitary reason, Mats is grateful to escape the hoards of people hovering in the living room and hallway. The kitchen is cool, the door leading outside slightly ajar and the music less deafening. Mats nurses the beer in his hand as he leans against the kitchen counters, he still has a good view of the living room and more specifically the clock that hangs on the wall adjacent to the entrance to the kitchen.

 

It is fifteen minutes or so until midnight and despite how hard he tries, Mats can’t shake the feeling of last year’s New Year’s Eve and how Bene had kissed him. They hadn’t explicitly talked about it afterwards – Mats had asked _why_ and Bene had simply replied _because I wanted to_ and made it seem as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. That had been the start and end of the conversation and it left a ridiculous amount of questions unanswered.

 

“I was wondering where you had disappeared to.”

 

“How did you know I’d gone?” Mats inquires, barely glancing up as Bene saunters into the kitchen and jumps up on his kitchen counter, thigh pressing against Mats’ arm.

 

“I couldn’t hear any obnoxious comments.” Bene shrugs, smirking at the appalled expression on Mats’ face. “Don’t give me that look.”

 

“I’m not obnoxious. I’m honest.” Mats tries to fight it, if not to just postpone the inevitable moment he blurts out and asks if Bene’s going to kiss him again this year. “There is a difference.”

 

Bene hums in agreement. “True. Except, you don’t know the difference and therefore are entirely obnoxious.”

 

Mats scoffs. “Remind me again as to _why_ I put up with you?”

 

“I’m your best friend.” Bene answers truthfully, shifting around until he can sling his arm around Mats’ shoulder and pull the taller into his body. “I’m the only person who will put up with you and your cockiness and desire to talk about yourself as though you’re better than everybody else.”

 

“How drunk are you?” Mats asks and he inwardly cringes at the swift subject change, barely allowing himself to glance up at Bene for more than a few seconds. “Because I want to-”

 

Bene jumps off the counter and circles Mats until he’s stood in front of him, lifting his hand to rest against Mats’ hip so lightly that it’s as though it isn’t even there. Mats’ breath catches in his throat at the intense glimmer in Bene’s eyes and the way that Bene is staring at him as though he wants to say something but doesn’t quite know how to word it.

 

“I’ve been thinking about it too.” Bene admits shyly, his fingers fiddling with the hem of Mats’ t-shirt. “I haven’t-” Bene laughs. “- I haven’t stopped.”

 

Still, Bene’s fingers work in twisting the material of Mats’ shirt whilst Bene avoids his gaze. Mats’ heart doubles in size at the anxious, shy expression crossing Bene’s face. Mats lifts his hand to cup Bene’s face and to meet his eyes.

 

“Don’t give me that look, Mats.” Bene points his finger at Mats before pinching his arm. “I know that’s exactly what you were going to say.”

 

“I hate when you do that.” Mats grumbles and tries to half-heartedly twist out of Bene’s grasp.

 

“Do what?” Bene asks with an amused glint in his eyes.

 

“Know exactly what I’m thinking all the time and shit.” Mats answers as eloquently as he can with the blush rising up his neck.  

 

Bene just shakes his head, fondly gazing at Mats. “Come and find me in ten minutes.” With that, Bene brushes his lips against the underside of Mats’ jaw before leaving him slack-jawed in the kitchen.

 

It’s precisely eight minutes and forty-two seconds later when Mats seeks Bene out in the living room. Bene is manhandling an inebriated Julian Draxler who – _bless him_ – cannot handle his alcohol despite how vocally adamant he is that he can. Bene catches Mats’ eyes out of the corner of his eye and carefully sits Julian down on the couch, laughing when Julian slips and hangs halfway off the couch and passes out almost immediately.

 

“I remember doing that with you.” Bene teases, sliding his arm around Mats’ shoulders as soon as he’s reached him.

 

Mats has the audacity to look outraged despite the fact that Bene is speaking no word of a lie and he actually (albeit fuzzily) remembers Bene looking after him after long nights of celebration that ended up with Mats being too drunk to form a coherent sentence.

 

As the excited buzz for midnight starts to work its way through the house; Bene reaches forward and grabs Mats’ hand, intertwining their fingers in a way that is delicate and intimate before leading Mats from the living room and back to the kitchen. Mats’ eyes grow wide when he realises they’re in the kitchen and _anybody_ can see them – through their drunken hazes or not.

 

“Isn’t this – _obvious_?” Mats asks, nervously looking around the kitchen where just a few people are milling with drinks in their hands and distracted looks on their faces.

 

“Complaining?” Bene asks as he already starts to crowd Mats up against the nearest counter. “We’re old news; everybody already _assumes_ something is going on anyway.”

 

Mats watches Bene with a surprised air about him. Bene just laughs and traces Mats’ jaw with his forefinger. The countdown from sixty starts somewhere in the living room, even little Julian Draxler has suddenly jumped up and is stumbling and swaying as he throws his arms around random people’s shoulders.

 

“Is this just going to be an annual thing because that’s great _but-”_ Mats starts and winces at how insecure and small his voice sounds.

 

“It can be an all year around thing, if you want?” Bene suggests, finding Mats’ early stage of panic to be comical but endearing.

 

Mats blinks. Once, twice, three times and a fourth for good measure.

 

“You-”

 

“- Mats.” Bene deadpans. “Do you really think I kissed you last year just because I was drunk and you were the only person around?”

 

Mats winces. “No? Yes?”

 

The countdown hits one and Mats surges forward as soon as the first firework is set off outside. Mats smiles against Bene’s lips and wraps his arms around the blond’s shoulders trying to pull him impossibly closer. Bene mumbles something causing Mats to lean back with curious and raised eyebrows.

 

“I called you an idiot.” Bene explains.

 

“Some things never change.” Mats shrugs before pulling Bene back in.

 

 

**Three,**

 

It’s not as though Bene had zero confidence in his and Mats’ relationship but here they are once again on New Year’s Eve, three years after they’d shared the kiss that essentially kick-started their relationship but within their profession, within not living with each other, Bene half-expected them to crash and burn because that just seemed the likeliest of outcomes.

 

Bene hadn’t taken into account that Mats would probably walk to the ends of the Earth if he asked him to.

 

Bene loves him, that much is certain, he’s never felt a love like this but Mats is the source of his happiness – as sappy as it sounds and it sounds ludicrously sappy. He watches his boyfriend fondly, _lovingly_ interact with his family, dancing around each member with a bright grin and slight over-exaggerated hand gestures – completely ignoring the careful looks his mum sends him from across the room.

 

“You’re staring, Höwedes.” Jonas smirks as he slides up beside Bene. “It’s honestly disgustingly adorable how much you love him. You’re just as bad as him but at least you’re not as – _uh_ – vocal.”

 

Bene stifles a chuckle as he pries his eyes away from his boyfriend. “He’s an idiot.”

 

“That much is obvious.” Jonas affirms with an eye roll. “You love him though.” 

 

At that moment, Mats strides up to Bene and wraps his boyfriend in his arms, tucking his face away in the crook of Bene’s neck and leaving a kiss on the skin there. Bene absentmindedly lifts his arm and places his hand at the small of Mats’ back, grabbing a fistful of the shirt Mats is wearing.

 

“What shit are you telling him now, Jonas?” Mats asks, though his question is muffled by the fact he still hasn’t lifted his face from Bene’s neck.

 

“ _Dear brother_.” Jonas places his hand over his heart earning an eye roll from Mats. “I wasn’t doing anything. I was merely wondering why Benni over here puts up with you.”

 

“He loves me.”

 

“Unfortunately.” Bene teases causing Jonas to laugh loudly in the hallway, attracting the attention of quite a few family members.

 

“The worst thing I _ever_ did was introduce you two.” Mats grumbles, standing up straight but still keeping a tight grip on his boyfriend. “Jonas, do me a favour and fuck off so I can talk to my boyfriend in peace?”

 

Jonas holds his hands up. “I’m telling mum.” He threatens with a wink and raised eyebrows, chortling to himself as he heads back into the living room but not before turning back around. “Remember boys, there _are_ kids here.”

 

Mats rolls his eyes dramatically as he throws himself back to lean against the wall with a loud thump earning raised eyebrows from Bene.

 

“I’ve missed you.” Mats sighs, leaning forward to tangle his fingers with Bene’s. “This year it’s been – it’s been hard.” Mats admits, shaking his hair from where his younger cousin had spent the best part of twenty minutes spilling gold and silver confetti into the curls. “I had you though.”

 

Bene scoffs slightly. “You always have.” He tells Mats and couldn’t hide the overwhelming sense of love in his voice if he tried. “Don’t get all sappy on me, Hummels because I will bite you.”

 

“ _Kinky_.”

 

Bene groans and pinches the bridge of his nose. “You’re the fucking worst.”

 

The countdown begins and Mats tugs Bene towards him, circling his waist with ease as Bene’s hands rest against Mats’ chest.

 

“Next year-” Mats grins confidently. “- We’ll be celebrating ending the year as World Champions.”

 

Bene rolls his eyes but admires his boyfriend’s undeniable sense of confidence in just about anything nonetheless.

 

“ _Oh yeah_?” Bene humours him. “You’re sure?”

 

“Positive. We’re fucking great.” Mats slurs slightly, pulling Bene closer and kissing him the minute the noise inside the living room descends into cheers and fireworks shoot up outside. “I love you.”

 

“I love you.” Bene breathes out.

 

 

**Four,**

 

It’s their first New Year’s Eve that they’re spending alone, well, with just the other that is. It was Mats’ idea – admitting that he didn’t think he could handle a house full of people and mindless small talk until the clock struck midnight – to which Bene regarded him as an old man which ended up with Bene being slapped with a slipper.

 

“I told you. I fucking told you, Benni!” Mats shouts from the kitchen. “I told you last year we would end this year as World Cup champions. You never believed me.”

 

“It’s not that I didn’t believe you-” Bene just manages to get out as Mats walks back into the living room and settles down onto the couch beside his boyfriend. “- Okay, I didn’t believe you.”

 

Mats smirks and entangles their feet together atop of the coffee table. “It’s okay, honey-”

 

“Mats? I want; I have to tell you something.” Bene interjects; it’s something that has been eating at him for the last five years.

 

Mats tears his eyes away from the TV to focus on his boyfriend and the way his eyebrows are knit together. Mats can immediately sense the worry but the panic rising in his chest doesn’t show as Bene laughs, _he fucking laughs_.

 

“I know it doesn’t make much of a difference now but, five years ago, the first time I kissed you – I – I wasn’t supposed to?”

 

Mats stares at Bene as though he is supposed to understand what the fuck is happening – he doesn’t – he doesn’t have a clue.

 

“Back in Sweden, after we’d won the Championship – I _might have_ told Manu that I was in love with you and he might have told me to do something about it but I never did and instead I decided to just take this secret to the grave. By the time New Year’s Eve came around though, I was – I just couldn’t take it anymore and _yeah_.” Bene laughs, his shoulders shaking as he meets Mats’ eyes. “I broke my own rule and about ten other ones.”

 

“You told Manu you loved me?”

 

“That’s _all_ you pick up on?”

 

Mats shrugs and opens his arms for Bene to fall into. “So what? I already know I’m completely irresistible and I completely understand you falling in love with me in Sweden. Also, I’m pretty sure I’m the one who kissed you five years ago.”

 

Bene slaps his arm. “I hate you.”

 

“You love me.” Mats mumbles against Bene’s cheek before kissing his cheek five times.

 

They ring in the New Year standing outside on the small balcony leading out from Mats’ kitchen. Mats kisses Bene, soft and tender, conveying all the love he has for him in those few seconds after midnight hits. The fireworks illuminate the sky above them, entrancing the pair of them for a few minutes

 

**Five,**

 

2016 is quite honestly a year that Mats and Bene would rather not remember. From Mats leaving Dortmund for Bayern, for their exit in the Euros, for having to navigate long-distance for the first time in their relationship (and for a lack of a better word, being fucking terrible at it) it just hasn’t been the greatest year for either of them.

 

Mats plans to change that for one simple reason – moving to Bayern made him realise just _how_ in love with Benni he actually is and that thought alone frightens him. It startled him into the decision to propose to Bene – Thomas had stared at him with a slack jaw and asked him four times in five minutes whether he had a concussion. Mats had simply shook his head and replied with _I love him_.

 

Now, it’s New Year’s Eve, the ring is in its box and in the drawer in Mats’ beside table whilst he observes Bene on the phone with his mum from where he’s sitting in the kitchen. Mats knows Bene, he knows Bene better than he knows himself and after being completely and utterly in love with the same person for seven years – Mats knows that this isn’t a consciously rushed decision, he’s known for a fact that he’s wanted to marry Bene (soberly) for the last two years at least. There is _nobody_ else on this planet who Mats thinks he could love more, Bene is quite honestly the sunshine in Mats’ life.

 

Bene finishes his phone call when Mats catches a glimpse of the time on his phone. There are just over five minutes until midnight and Mats rushes to his bedroom whilst stumbling over chairs and strewn shoes whilst ignoring Bene’s call after him.

 

It’s not until Mats has the box in the pocket of his sweatpants does he realise that he has absolutely no idea _how_ he’s going to do this or what he even wants to say. Bene watches him carefully circle the kitchen whilst pulling at his hair, muttering under his breath – he can practically feel the seconds ticking down towards midnight.

 

“ _Honey._ ” Bene calls out softly, stopping Mats with a hand on his arm.

 

“New Year’s Eve, seven years ago.” Mats blurts out suddenly. “Things changed then, whether we wanted them to or not but that first time we kissed – I was – well – I was fucked because it just confirmed everything that I already knew, I loved you. _I love you_.” Mats glances up to Bene only to find his boyfriend staring at him sceptically in return.

 

“How much have you had to drink-? I’m starting to doubt you and Jonas only had _a couple of beers_.” Bene huffs, crossing his arms over his chest.

 

“Benni, honey, I think this goes without saying but there is _nobody_ else I want to have a New Year’s kiss with. I want you to be my New Year’s kiss for the rest of my life-”

 

At this point, the realisation dawns on Bene and his eyes grow wide whilst he mumbles something along the lines of _are you really fucking doing this right now_?

 

Mats drops to one knee, struggling to pull the box out of his pocket and open it to show it to Bene. It’s a simple ring, a silver band with a row of the tiniest diamonds across it, it took Mats so long to find it – he knew he wanted it understated because _it’s Benni_. The moment he saw it, he saw Bene’s face too and warmth had pooled in his stomach when he dragged Jonas into the shop.

 

“Are you really asking me to marry you?”

 

“I haven’t exactly asked yet.” Mats laughs, “but yes, Benni. Will you marry me?”

 

Bene drops to his knees in front of Mats and takes the box from his hand and studies the ring with the smallest of smiles twitching at the corners of his lips.

 

“You’re fucking insane.” Bene snorts.

 

“Is that a yes?” Mats asks with a grin.

 

Bene surges forward and grabs Mats’ face as he pulls him into a kiss whilst mumbling _yes you idiot_ against his lips at the same moment that fireworks begin outside, the alarm that Mats set on his phone for it to go off at midnight and the woman on the TV announces that it’s officially 2017.

 

 _It’s already better than last year_. Is the last thing Mats thinks as he slides the ring onto Bene’s finger.

 

**Six,**

 

Mats has decided that he fucking hates New Year’s Eve. He already hates Christmas, having decided that when Bene had called him on Christmas Eve and said due to the horrendous storms in Moscow – there would be _no_ chance he would be able to make it back to Germany for Christmas.

 

Now, it’s twenty minutes away from 2019 and Mats is sitting on his couch in his flat and brooding whilst flicking through different TV stations unable to settle on a show. Bene had called him two hours ago and wished him a Happy New Year from Moscow and Mats had bitten back the sarcastic comment on the tip of his tongue to wish it back to his husband. He knows it’s not Bene’s fault that they’re not spending New Year’s Eve together for the first time in six years – when a snowstorm was the reason they didn’t have a New Year’s kiss then too but he can’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of bitterness.

 

This is (supposed to be) their first New Year’s Eve as husbands and his husband is currently stranded in a country that Mats has a personal vendetta against. Mats just groans and throws his head back, kicking his feet up on the coffee table as his wedding ring shines in the light of his flat, he smiles.

 

It fades not two seconds later.

 

He almost regrets not taking his parents up on their offer to come and spend New Year with them – hanging on to the thin thread of hope that Bene would miraculously get home in time to see out 2018 with him. Looking back, he knows it was stupid of him to think that a storm that has lasted a good eight days would magically disappear in five minutes and all their airports nearby would be back in action straight away.

 

Instead, Mats settles on watching the news and scrolling through his phone. He ignores the heavy feeling settling in the pit of his stomach when midnight hits and the messages from his friends at various states of drunkenness – wishing him a Happy New Year start rolling in and sighing because he just can’t bring himself to answer them back straight away. He gets through two more news stories after the New Year’s celebrations before deciding it might be better for him to just call it a night and wake up once the disappointment has passed.

 

He’s just turned the TV and lights off and is heading towards his bedroom, stifling a yawn when there’s a knock at the door, Mats stops for a moment before realising that it’s probably the door across the hall – who in their right mind would bother him at this hour?

 

Mats has just got into his room when the knocking starts again, it’s louder this time, maybe even a little more desperate. Mats groans and walks back out of his room with a scowl on his face as he makes his way to the front door, muttering half-heartedly that he’s moving, preferably to somewhere that doesn’t have neighbours.

 

Mats has barely pulled the door open when it’s thrown open wide and two hands are pulling his face down and lips are crashing against his, the kiss is messy and it takes Mats a good twenty or so seconds to realise that Bene is the one kissing him, that Bene is on his doorstep, that Bene isn’t in Moscow.

 

Pushing his husband away, Mats stares at Bene. Bene with his flushed cheeks, beanie covering his hair, Bene with the brightest of grins on his lips.

 

“What? Why are you here?”

 

Bene snorts, Mats still finds it attractive. “When your husband surprises you, your go-to response shouldn’t be _why are you here_.” He chides mildly, poking at Mats’ chest as he kicks the door shut.

 

Mats just blinks rapidly, disbelievingly. “You’re supposed to be in Moscow.”

 

“ _Supposed to be_. Yes.” Bene hums in agreement whilst shrugging his coat off. “The storm cleared sometime last night and I got the first flight out of there. Surprise?”

 

“Have you even been home yet?” Mats asks, trailing after Bene, still shell-shocked that his husband is actually standing before his eyes.

 

Bene stops and laughs as he spins around to face Mats, sliding one arm around Mats’ waist. “I am home.” He affirms with a quick kiss to Mats’ lips. “Happy New Year, honey.”

 

“You missed New Year. You’re seven minutes late.” Mats replies dumbly, regretting it the second he says the words.

 

Bene, of course, doesn’t even bat an eyelid. “Why do I put up with you?”

 

The question brings back memories and suddenly Mats is in his early-twenties and standing against a kitchen counter in Bene’s house and asking his best friend why he puts up with him. A small smirk tugs at the corners of Mats’ lips as he wraps his arms around Bene’s shoulders.

 

“Because I’m your husband and you love me.”

 

Bene smiles bashfully before jabbing Mats in the ribs. “I suppose so. Seeing as I’m late, I’ll just have to make it up to you another way.

 

Leaning in to kiss Bene once more. “I’m so glad you’re home.” He mumbles.

**Author's Note:**

> [tumblr](https://hoewedeshummels.tumblr.com)


End file.
